The Elements

Primordial Formations

"Sixteen forces created our world, broken apart and reformed by the mind of the cosmos. All that is our existence was borne of their joinings as form was given to mountain, and wood, and stream, and then true life itself. From these cosmic essences came man⁣ and beast alike, rendered differently in body and mind. It was not until the twin moons Solga & Lunala spawned from the skyvoid that Elementalists learned of forces beyond the primordial Sixteen and began to study these forces in earnest. This tome is a compendium of their efforts, sharpened through centuries of research and divination into the higher mysteries."

- The Elementarium, Chapter 1

Manifestation

As the physical building blocks of creation, each element is expressed in every aspect of life, from the air in the heavens to the salt of the earth - life as we know it would be impossible and the universe cannot exist without them. Prana⁣ provides universal vitality, while elements compose the universe's shell, and each as crucial as the other. Ever since humanity⁣ was able to articulate its thoughts about the world around it, the study of the Elements has been one of the greatest mysteries of the human condition. From where was the world born? How does it sustain itself? This search for the truth of the universe was a formative one that would prove indomitable in the millennia to come.

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Initially, in the days before the Zamzian Empire⁣, when science meant little more than waving a divining rod at a lake, it was believed that six elements made up the world: Flame, Water, Air, Lightning, Earth, and Steel. These are referred to as the Harmonic Elements, and while time has proven that the universe is far more complex, these 6 are still viewed as the most primal of the elements and play a large role in Zamzian culture and cosmology.

The Heavenly Elements were the first group to be formally agreed upon by academics in 843 AC - these elements of Balance, Spirit, Mind, Serenity and Corruption are less physically apparent than the others, but are just as vital, for without them, life would be existence without meaning.

Their counterparts are the Worldly Elements, those whose connections lie in the base and physical - these are Growth, Rigor, Willpower, Change, and Emotion.

The two elements that were heralded by the arrival of Solga & Lunala in the skies are referred to as the Dissonant Elements for the unbalancing they brought to the cosmic cycle: Light and Darkness.

In the years after The Kalyugi, new elements began to be discovered as monsters grew more and more diverse. However, some of these still have yet to be found in any human or Kami - they seem to be exclusive to rare monsters and many scholars would sacrifice a limb to pioneer the study of these elements. It is theorized that these elements are offshoots of existing ones, and are referred to as the Offspring Elements because of it.

Types

The Harmonic Elements

Air - The force of wind and gas, the crucial emptiness that allows for life to be free. People born attuned to this element tend to be independent and prone to abandoning long-term projects. Also known as the Flying element. Opposed by Lightning, which tears the skies asunder - Serenity, which causes the winds to die - and Rigor, which cannot be swayed.

Earth - The force of soil and sand, the land beneath our feet that provides us structure. People born attuned to this element are usually reliable and steady. Also known as the Ground element. Opposed by Water, which washes soil away - Serenity, which outlasts even the land - and Growth, which uses the earth to nourish itself.

Flame - The force of heat, that which gives and destroys in equal measure. People born attuned to this element are often passionate about their beliefs, sometimes to an unhealthy degree. Also known as the Fire element. Opposed by Earth, which smothers the flame - Water, which douses it - and Rigor, which withstands it.

Lightning - The force of speed and energy, the spark that begins every fire. People born attuned to this element tend to move from one thing to the next rather quickly. Also known as the Electric element. Opposed only by Earth, which is too vast and too solid to notice such transient energy.

Steel - The force of hardness and refinement, both armor and blade alike. People born attuned to this element often have trouble expressing themselves and naturally hide their problems. Opposed by Flame, which warps it - Earth, which engulfs and dwarfs it - and Willpower, which causes it to yield.

Water- The force of fluidity and grace, font of life and river of death. People born attuned to this element are usually flexible and accepting, even when they shouldn't be. Opposed by Lightning, which travels freely through it - and Growth, which uses the water to nourish itself.

The Heavenly Elements

Balance - The force of neutrality and simplicity, the backdrop against which all others appear starker. People born attuned to this element are usually self-conscious, though not always in a bad way. Also known as the Normal element. Opposed only by Willpower, which bends the weak to its will.

Corruption - The force of decay and disease, without which all cycles would cease. People born attuned to this element tend to be shy and reserved. Also known as the Poison element. Opposed by Earth, which knows nothing of decay - and Mind, which knows how to combat such horrors.

Mind - The force of thought and curiosity, what is behind existence and gives us meaning. People born attuned to this element are prone to flights of fancy and escapism. Also known as the Psychic element. Opposed by Change, which distracts it - Darkness, which clouds it - and Spirit, which eludes it.

Serenity - The force of peace and stillness, which enables progress and stagnation. People born attuned to this element are often focused in their endeavors, whatever they may be. Also known as the Ice element. Opposed by Flame, whose chaos is uncontrollable - Rigor, which does not care about peace - Steel, who is too strong to be affected - and Willpower, which crushes it completely.

Spirit - The force of faith and creativity, whose ingenuity delights and terrifies. People born attuned to this element are almost always mischievous or irreverent, but rarely malicious. Also known as the Ghost element. Opposed by Darkness, which stifles it - and Spirit, which outwits itself.

The Worldly Elements

Change - The force of metamorphosis and difference, maligned in its essential nature. People born attuned to this element are usually detail-oriented and eager. Also known as the Bug element. Opposed by Flame, which cannot be changed without destroying it - Air, which is too free to be changed - and Rigor, which refuses to be changed.

Emotion - The force of feeling and sensation, voracious in its appetite. People born attuned to this element are, unsurprisingly, very emotional and spontaneous. Also known as the Dragon element. Opposed by Emotion, which tires itself out - Light, which manipulates it - and Serenity, which calms it.

Growth - The force of development and maturation, always striving for greater heights. People born attuned to this element are often ambitious or community-minded. Also known as the Grass element. Opposed by Change, which diverts its energy - Air, which is already mature - Flame, which consumes it to fuel itself - Corruption, which taints its efforts - and Serenity, which stunts it.

Rigor - The force of inflexibility and severity, standing resolute in the face of danger. People born attuned to this element tend to be serious and logical. Also known as the Rock element. Opposed by Water, whose steady pressure erodes such stubbornness - Earth, which buries it deep - Growth, the natural opposite of such rigidity - Steel, which pierces the hardest shell - and Willpower, which breaks those who will not bend.

Willpower- The force of control and strength, forcing the world to its will. People born attuned to this element usually have reserved, yet intense personalities. Also known as the Fighting element. Opposed by Air, which cannot be controlled - Mind, which outwits it - and Light, which restrains it.

The Dissonant Elements

Darkness - All the world's evil, selfishness, and greed - the font of vileness. People born attuned to this element are often manipulative or arrogant, even without meaning to be. Also known as the Dark or Evil element. Opposed by Change, which replaces it - Light, which illuminates it - and Willpower, which challenges it.

Light - All that is good, just, and pure - the wellspring of generosity. People born attuned to this element tend to be agreeable and upstanding, but can be imposing on accident. Also known as the Fairy element. Opposed by Corruption, which taints it - and Steel, which contains it.

The Offspring Elements

Crystal - This element seems to share similarities with Rigor and Serenity, much like the Glass element. Unlike Glass, Crystal specifically has the ability to magnify sound directed at it and has no effectiveness or weakness with regards to other elements. These crystals are typically known as "sound rocks" and are prized by Noise Magicians and certain auditory-focused monsters.

Glass - A mixture of Rigor and Serenity, Glass is both dependable and versatile. Monsters of this element tend to be more reclusive and perceptive than others. It is opposed by Earth, which birthed it - Willpower, which shatters it - Rigor, which is more unyielding than it - and Steel - which contains it.

Nuclear - A degenerate form of Corruption, Nuclear has lost the weaknesses and strengths of its forebear because of its inherent instability. Monsters of the Corruption element are sometimes able to "overload" their element and transform it into the Nuclear element. Nuclear energy is short-lived and erratic, but has heinous long-term effects. Naturally Nuclear monsters are almost never found outside of The Nashya or human workshops and tend to have shorter lives than monsters of the same species.

Localization

The elements are a universal constant, as they are the universe in the physical sense. Every rock, human⁣, and monster⁣ is composed of a unique multitude of elements, but there is a key difference that only humans possess: Kaprana. It is only within ourselves that we find purity. Most bafflingly, this spark of Kaprana exists within each and every human, untainted despite existing in tandem with elemental calamity. Every mage learns how to use this spark of the soul to engender their spells, but they cannot do it without discovering which element resonates most deeply from the inside.

Every human, no matter how magically deaf, has an innate connection to a single elemental force, which is said to form one's personality and path in life. Parents, worried about their children since time immemorial, usually have them undergo a simple test early in life to divine which force they have a connection to. The most common method of doing so is with the use of used tea leaves placed in a glass orb: the child drinks the tea, then immediately places the leaves into an orb and seals it, then is allowed to interact with the orb however they please for one minute. After the time is up, the pattern of the leaves on the glass can determine with astonishing accuracy the elemental connection of the child.

Few academics get the chance to study live monsters⁣, and those that do are often pressured to produce tangible, physical results that can benefit mankind - as a result, little is known about how monsters⁣ and the elements play into one another. One of the earliest discoveries made was the strength of a beast's ties to the elements - while a human can use the Prana⁣ of themselves and the world around them to create and amplify their elemental abilities, a monster⁣  can harness the elements immediately from birth and, most importantly, are far less complex in their elemental makeup than humans: In fact, monsters⁣ are never physically composed of more than two elements, and because of this are far more susceptible to opposing forces. This physical malleability is what allows for them to be captured in Monster Balls and explains their extremely quick environmental adaptations.

Spell Break by georgecatalin83

Type

Metaphysical, Elemental